Coffee in Lisbon
These are the types of coffee served in Portugal
How to Order Coffee in Lisbon
The Portuguese, like Italians, Spaniards, and Latin Americans, have different ways of ordering coffee.
Coffee in Portugal is quite traditional. If you want varieties with creams and flavors, you'll need to head to a place with American-style influence.
Find here a list of the different coffee preparations you can order when you go eating out in Lisbon.
Galão
It is pronounced "gah-lown" and it is a type of coffee with milk in a 60/40 ratio. Usually served in a tall glass and very good when paired with a sweet treat. Especially good with a pastel de nata (such as those from Pastéis de Belém)»
Meia de Leite
Pronounced as it is written. This is a coffee with milk that is slightly more balanced than the Galão. It is served in a regular cup, like the ones we normally use at home for coffee with milk. It is half milk and half coffee.
Bica or "café"
Pronounced as it is written. It is a cup of strong black coffee, a kind of shot of coffee, very similar to an Italian espresso. Delicious and great for waking you up before a good sightseeing walk around Lisbon.
To sound more like a local, you can say "uma bica se faz favor".
Café Cheio/Curto
A Cheio is a softer espresso, as the cup is filled to the top with enough water to mellow it out. A curto is exactly what you are thinking — a more concentrated coffee.
Carioca
A diluted coffee, for those who do not like their coffee too strong.
Descafeinado
A regular decaffeinated coffee.
Café com cheirinho
Cheirinho means "little scent." This coffee is ideal for aiding digestion after a heavy meal, as it has a touch of bagaço, a Portuguese eau-de-vie similar, if not identical, to the grappa you can find in any restaurant in Rome.
Pingo
It is a "stained" coffee, or a macchiato. An espresso with a touch of milk.
